A Fine Year for Love. Catherine Lanigan
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Her grandfather told her never to trust a Barzonni
Nothing gives Liz Crenshaw more delight than walking the hills of her family’s winery and tending her precious vines. And nothing frustrates her more than Gabe Barzonni, the handsome, successful and utterly aggravating son of Indian Lake’s most prominent farmers. All her instincts scream “avoid,” especially when she finds out he’s going into the wine business himself. But Liz can’t seem to shake him. One minute, he’s nosing around her property, the next he’s arranging to escort her to her best friend’s wedding. Well, too bad. Whatever he has designs on—her or her land—Gabe is out of luck. Now, to get him out of her mind...
The man was trespassing
He had his back to her as he held a wide-mouth glass tube of dirt...her dirt...up to the sun. Liz moved in closer and leveled her shotgun at him.
“Put it down and turn around.”
The man raised his arms and turned to face her.
Liz gasped. “Gabe Barzonni?”
Gabe chuckled. “Hi, Liz.”
She glared at him. “Spill. Why are you stealing my soil?”
“I wasn’t stealing. Exactly.” He started to smile, but catching Liz’s suspicious scowl, he obviously thought better of it. “I followed some tourists out to the vineyard. Your chef de cave told us we were free to walk around.”
“Sure you are. Among the Cabernet grapes. Not over here.”
“I didn’t know,” he said. “Liz, can you please put the shotgun away? It makes me nervous.”
“Good,” she said. “I want you to be nervous. Maybe you’ll start telling me the truth.”
I hope by the time you’ve picked up A Fine Year for Love you are as enthralled with the characters in Indian Lake as I am. I realize that as the author I am supposed to love my people, but with each new romance I am finding some very strong-willed, dedicated and loyal folks who are fascinating enough to keep me up at night telling me their story.
You may remember that I introduced Liz Crenshaw in Love Shadows and explained that she and her grandfather owned a vineyard north of Indian Lake. In my fairy-tale life, I have romanticized a world in which I was a vintner. I adore vineyards. I love the precise rows of thriving vines that undulate up and down hills and soak up the sun. If I ever did own a vineyard, I would be so obsessed and possessive, I’d probably be ostracized by all my friends for being obnoxious about my life’s calling. Therefore, I nailed those flaws to my heroine’s heels.
When love does finally come to Liz’s doorstep, she holds Gabe Barzonni at gunpoint. Little does Liz realize she is right to be suspicious of Gabe, whose secret desire is to become a vintner and leave his father’s lucrative farm. From their first encounter, when Gabe is trying to steal a sample of Liz’s soil, sparks fly left and right. Through revelations of decades-old family secrets to the heartbreaking awareness of Sam Crenshaw’s dementia, to a life-and-death crisis, Liz and Gabe must finally come to terms with what truly makes life precious to them.
I would love to hear from you and your thoughts about our friends in Indian Lake. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. My website is catherinelanigan.com or you can email me at [email protected].
Then join me in a few short months for more heartwarming romance in the fourth book in the Shores of Indian Lake series.
Catherine Lanigan
A Fine Year for Love
Catherine Lanigan
CATHERINE LANIGAN knew she was born to storytelling at a very young age when she told stories to her younger brothers and sister to entertain them. After years of encouragement from family and high school teachers, Catherine was shocked and brokenhearted when her freshman college creative-writing professor told her that she had “no writing talent whatsoever” and that she would “never earn a dime as a writer.” He promised her that he would be her crutches and get her through his demanding class with a B grade so as not to destroy her high grade point average too much, if Catherine would promise never to write again. Catherine assumed he was the voice of authority and gave in to the bargain.
For fourteen years she did not write until she was encouraged by a television journalist to give her dream a shot. She wrote a 600-page historical romantic spy-thriller set against World War I. The journalist sent the manuscript to his agent who then garnered bids from two publishers. That was nearly forty published novels, nonfiction books and anthologies ago.
This book is dedicated to my son, Ryan Pieszchala. I love you deeply.
I’ve said it before and I will keep saying it. I am so very blessed with extraordinary editorial expertise. Each time I begin to stray, Claire, you bring me back and I can’t thank you enough. Any accolades I receive—they belong to us.
And to all the editors and staff at Mills & Boon Heartwarming. You are truly a most unique group of creative and visionary people. I am honored to work with you all. Most especially I want to thank Victoria Curran for bringing me into this very supportive and caring new family at Heartwarming. And as always, deep gratitude and affection to Dianne Moggy. A very big hug to you all.
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